The Washington critic., 1887-01-12
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Said one of the guests at au uptown
lotel to New York Tribune reporter
few nights ago: have watched the
distribution of mail in the United States
Senate for several mornings in success
sion. ] have seen from 100 to 1j0 let
tiers a day piled upon the tables of the
New York Senators while the com
bined mail of the twelve New England
Senators did not aggregate thirty let.
ters. 1t is no child's play to be Sena-
tor from the State OF New York. |
have seen Roscoe Conkling after the last
of his customary evening visitors had
departed from his rooms at II or 10
o'clock at night, sit down and take up
correspondence and committee work
cupied until sunrise, and have known
him to come up to the Senate Chamber
to meet the Judiciary Committee when
i doubted If he had single moments
sleep. They tell me that Senator Mil
Ter has often been worked equally
hard. But believe the Senators have
more relief now through some assist
ancc they get in the way of clerks.
~
Said Count de Lesseps to the Paris
correspondent of the New York Star,
referring TO his late American trip;
"From Philadelphia l went on TO
Washington, where we were received
by President Cleveland at the White
House. Mr.. Cleveland is very gentle.
manly In every sense of the word. /
made little speech, and he replied in
the most graceful and kindly manner.
The President is exceedingly frank and
outspoken, with handsome features and
fine figure. He must be robust anl
powerful man. lie expresses himself
with great tluency, never says more
than he intends, and his speeches were
charmingly delivered and most friendly
in sentiment. He shakes hands very
heartily. ! OF course saw Mr..
Bayard when we visited the White
House, and also met. him at several
banquets. found him most alfable
diplomat. consider that Washington
is perhaps the finest city in the United
States. That it is the neatest and
cleanest there can be no doubt. The
statues in the public squares strike me
many of them, at least--as worthy
objects of art. The Washington Mon.
ument possesses one merit, II not more
it is the highest obelisk in the world.
| was going TO say that It towers above
the mountains. 1t gives you that i'm
preston, rising as it does from the
low surrounding plain.
~.
+. ii. Richardson Of the Atlanta
Constitution, in recent letter TO that
Iaper from Washington, gives au in
,eresting account of an interview he
had few days ago with General
James Walker of Virginia relative to
Confederate funds in England at the
clos of the war. General Walker was
in the Confederate service AMI when
the trouble was over went to England
in company with Judah p. Benjamin,
with view to retrieving his fortunes
While there he met Collin McRae OF
Mobile, who had been sent abroad as
financial agent of the COnfederacy and
had, at that time, about $4,000,
which had come into his possession rs
such agent. Out of this fund Gen
cral Walker ascertained that John G..
Breckenridge received six months uu.
paid salary as a Confederate Cabinet
officer, Sl2, 800 was sent to Jefferson
Davis and all the other members of the
Cabinet were paid in like proportion.
The officers and crews of the Alabama
aud Shenandoah were also paid Off.
Besides this sum MclRae got SD1 900 of
man named Murrill who had been
sent TO England by General Kirby
Smith to buy cotton machinery.
"W bat became of this money" says
General Wafer, 81 cannot tell |
know that before McRae returned to
America he became banker. Daring
the war Mr.. Benjamin had sent man
named SChultZc n Mobile editor, tn
London TO establish an organ of
tie Conf deratc cause. hardly think
SchultZc made a fortune at that bust.
ness A year or so after the close of
the war bank was opened with Offices
in London and Bucharest by McRaG
and SclulZe. They conducted bust.
ness on rather grand scale for while
and then failed. McRae finally rG
turned TO America and went to Hon.
duras, where, / believe, he died. OF
Schutze's fate am ignorant. Con
eral Walker was asked at the cOnclu'
sion of this narrative ii he believed
there was still uny money In England
TO the credit Of the ConfcdcrNcy. lie
replied mo; have no idea there Is
one cent / know there was a big sum
at the end Of the war, but il has been
absorbed In one way and another Iona
ego
slr the Human Corkscrow at Kernlu's